My friend who owns a small piece of land on the outskirts of Tumakuru is not new to the world of human-wildlife interactions. He respects wild animals, has been involved in many rescues himself, and is sensitive to their needs and space. But what he has been observing over the last few months makes him anxious. "I would spot sloth bears on farmlands at least thrice a week. We would often hear and witness villagers chasing, screaming and pelting stones at sloth bears. The animosity is very real. There is a growing intolerance towards leopards and bears here."

This is not a fresh narrative - we have been reading and witnessing such interactions across India. In particular, more unpleasant stories have emerged from Hassan, Tumakuru and Ramanagara districts this past year. While discussing the issue with Kartick Satyanarayan, the co-founder and CEO of Wildlife SoS, an organisation that has been instrumental in rescuing and providing lifetime care for over 100 sloth bears, the issue of conflict stands out. And, the stories that emerge are not pleasant.

Grim realities

Take for example some of these few incidents. In January 2017, a female sloth bear was critically injured after consuming an explosive device set up as bait by poachers in Chikoppa village located in Kanakapura taluk. She did not make it. In May 2017, a male sloth bear was found in the outskirts of a village located in Chikkamagaluru. The bomb had exploded in the bears mouth, cracking its skull internally and there were hundreds of bone splinters embedded inside his mouth. He too did not make it.

In the same month, a female sloth bear and her two young cubs were found trapped inside a 20-foot deep dry well near Tumakuru. The mother bear succumbed to injuries and starvation. The cubs, identified as a male and a female made it after being rescued by the Bannerghatta Bear Rescue Centre (BBRC) run by Wildlife SOS. In August 2017, the team successfully rescued and released a wild sloth bear cub trapped in a barbed wire near Koratagere village. In November 2017, two more young sloth bear cubs caught in poachers snares were rescued.

There are several such grim stories of mortality around us, but so are narratives of faith, commitment and devotion that find their bearing in the world of rescue - like the team at Wildlife SoS, which continues to strive hard to change such tragic incidents to one of hope.

Rescues give a fair picture of the state of wild animals in a given geographical area. None of these SoS calls bear any good news. "We definitely saw an increase in number of cases in 2017 compared with 2016. Our team rescued six wild sloth bears in 2017 in Karnataka that were either severely injured, caught in human-animal conflict or had fallen prey to poachers snares and explosives used for hunting," exclaims Kartick.

Getting Worse

Talking about the reasons behind these recurring incidents, he adds, "The primary causes we have observed over the years include animals that are caught or involved in human-wildlife conflict situations and poaching incidents. Poaching ranks quite high on the list as we often rescue animals that have fallen prey to poachers snares and explosives used for hunting. Uncovered wells pose a major threat to the safety of wild animals residing in close proximity to human habitations."

The locals dont have it easy either - from loss of livelihood, to threat to life, the challenges are too many. But awareness programmes and constant engagement with locals do pay off, says Kartick. "Our team has been working closely with local communities to educate people, especially those living in human-wildlife conflict zones, about using techniques for avoiding and resolving conflicts as well as encouraging responsible community participation in various conservation initiatives. Over the years, we have witnessed positive responses from the communities, especially from the young generations who are keen to learn more about conservation and respecting the wildlife that reside in close proximity to their homes."

In the month of November 2017 alone, the team rescued three sloth bears that were caught in deadly hunting traps. "In all three cases, local communities were quite supportive and were quick to report the incidents to the Forest Department and Wildlife SOS. As a result of the awareness programmes that we conduct across villages in the region, we have noticed a positive change in the general attitude of the public towards wildlife," he adds.

Although the barbaric practice of dancing bears is a thing of the past, the situation for wildlife living closer to human habitat remain dire. While the attempts at finding long-term sustainable solutions continue, its rescues such as these, done on everyday basis, that add value to the phrase every individual matters, human or not!

The humble avarekai is back to entice food lovers in the city. Organised by Shri Vasavi Condiments, the 18th edition of the Avarebele Mela offers more than 200 types of sweets and savouries, all made with avarekai. The items offered here use the bean in two forms - hithkabele (peeled) and avarebele (unpeeled).

Foodies from all over the city are lining up in front of the stalls to have some of their favourites.

Manjunath, a professional, and his wife Gayatri were on their way to work when they saw that the annual mela was back on Food Street. They made a quick stop to relish some of the available items.

Manjunath says, "Im glad that we stumbled upon this during the daytime. Its quite packed in the evening and on weekends. Dosa, gulab jamun and akki roti are some of our favourites."

The fair offers fresh beans right from the farms. However, the vendors say that the business is less this year. Kumar. who works at Annapurneshwari Hichukida Avarabele, says, "We are hoping for more people to come over the weekend but the crowd so far hasnt been as much as we had expected. Nevertheless, there are many who come every year without fail; its nice to see some familiar faces around."

Its the first time for assistant professor Kannika at the fair. "I work at CGS Jain College in VV Puram so this is walking distance for me. I didnt know that you could make such a variety of dishes with this bean. My family has asked me to bring some raw avarekai so that we can make some items at home too," she explains.

There are many takers for items like holige, jalebi, upittu, akki roti, vada, bonda and dosa.

Visiting the fair every year has become a must-do activity for Purnima, a homemaker. This year, she came with her neighbours Sandhya and Suja.

Purnima says, "Even though I live in Bommanahalli, I make it a point to visit the fair every year. The taste of every dish is consistent, especially that of dosa, akki roti, holige and vada. Avarekai is a vegetable unique to the State. It is great to try out some authentic dishes prepared by the farmers themselves."

Sandhya adds, "Its the first time for me and Suja and Im glad we came here. Theres plenty more to explore and we hope to taste every item available here, and maybe even take some home."

The Avarebele Mela at Food Street, VV Puram will conclude on January 15. The mela will also be held in Malleswaram from January 19 to 28 and in Nagarabhavi from February 2 to 11. Entry to the festival is free.

Actor-director Arjun Kishore Chandra was an engineering student when he worked on short films and understood his love for filmmaking.

It was Thithi where he worked as an assistant cameraman that made him realise his growing passion for the medium. After working on travel and adventure film Life 360 that released last year, the actor-director is moving ahead with new projects. In a candid chat with Tini Sara Anien, he talks about his future projects and acting plans.

What impact did Life 360 have on your career?

A lot of people know me as Life 360 Arjun now. Life 360 changed my life. I am more confident about approaching subjects and working with themes now. Each project has been a learning lesson. I worked with Anup Bhandari sir on Rajaratha and it was a fulfilling experience. I learnt a lot from him. We shot for 40 hours straight at times and I realised that missing sleep isnt a bit deal, if one loves what they are doing.

How was it working with director Anup Bhandari?

Anup sir is a bank of knowledge. From big actors like Arya to young and junior artistes, he treats everyone with immense respect. He is a very intelligent filmmaker and knows the knack of movie-making. I learnt to be more patient from him. The way he handles people on the set and treats the subject with maturity is very inspiring.

A new year means new beginnings. What do you expect from 2018?

I am excited that Rajaratha is getting released soon. I am working on my script and am hoping that everything will work well and the movie will kickstart soon. I have my fingers crossed.

Tell us about the script.

The movie will be a thriller. Though the industry has seen suspense and horror-thrillers, my movie will stand out. My film will start with drama and move in a linear narrative way towards thriller elements.

After Life 360, how have you approached filmmaking?

I didnt know much when I was making Life 360. I wasnt aware about aspects like TV rights, distribution rights, what the audience wants etc and I wrote whatever I wanted to. I am more cautious now and know a bit more about filmmaking. Filmmaking is a learning process, the more you learn the more there is to explore.

Are you concentrating only on directing now?

Though I am focussing on direction now, I will accept any role I feel I can do justice to. I would like to be seen in varied characters which make a connect with people. I do not believe that there are small or big roles. An actor can live many lives through varied roles. From a police officer to a beggar, he can be anyone on screen and learn the mannerisms and more about each person. This is the biggest blessing that an actor has.

Photograph by Nitin Sharma

The picture was taken by Nitin at Colva Beach in Goa. Walking around with the camera, he happened to notice a person who was preparing to paraglide. "He was somewhat on the plump side but wanted to fly. I thought it was a great idea; a birds eye view to give you a fresh perspective on life," says Nitin.

Actor Neha Shetty says she is asked by a lot of people why she hasnt signed any Kannada movie after Mungaru Male 2 with Ganesh. The actor, however, prefers to work at her own pace even if it means that she will do only one movie a year.

Neha, who is currently shooting her debut Telugu film under Puri Jagannadh Productions, is excited about venturing into a new territory and exploring a new space.

In an interview with Nina C George, the actor talks about what keeps her going.

The managers at some of the cold storages say that they have stopped purchasing excess stock of chicken because there is no demand for it. Mubarak, the manager at Sunny Foods in Kalyan Nagar, admits to a dip in the sales in the last one week. "The sale of chicken has reduced by 50 percent. The other meat products such as red meat are moving fast. We are not panicking. We would rather stock and sell good meat rather than push the sales of the existing stock," says Mubarak.

The situation at Lusitania Frozen Foods on Hosur Road isnt very different. Ramesh, manager at the store, confirms that the sale of chicken is down by 30 percent. "Although, the place where we purchase chicken is good and we are sure that we stock only good meat, people are still hesitant to buy it because of the reported cases of bird flu. The chicken that has not been sold will be discarded and not carried on for the next day," says Ramesh.

However, supermarkets such as Nilgiris on Brigade Road, hasnt seen a fall in the sales of chicken. "Most of our frozen meat is imported and the chicken products are sourced from places that have assured quality and service. We continue to have moderate sales and our purchase of stock remains the same," says a salesperson at Nilgiris.

Most restaurants in the city have seen a reduction in the number of customers. Rafeeq Ur Rehman, the owner of Dum Biryani on MG Road, observes that the restaurant is always packed for lunch and dinner but the sales have reduced in the last one week.

"We now dont cook as much as we used to. Our business has dropped by almost 50 percent. We have a rough idea about how many customers turn out and prepare the food accordingly. We are feeling the pinch because our restaurant serves more of chicken and related items. There is really nothing we can do, except wait till the situation normalises," says Rafeeq, rather helplessly.

Those who regularly consume chicken too have compromised and have chosen alternatives like red meat. Shweta Sathyendranath, homemaker, says that she would get messages on WhatsApp about the outbreak of bird flu but she didnt take it too seriously till she read the confirmed news in the papers.

"We have decided to stop eating chicken at least for a month, till the whole issue settles down. Our son loves chicken and we make sure we all have one egg a day but now we have stopped consuming chicken and eggs because of the avian flu," says Shweta.

She says that the family enjoys vegetarian food as much as they enjoy eating non-vegetarian dishes. "We have now begun to experiment with vegetarian dishes and alternative meat products," she says.

Television actor Swati Rajput who rose to fame with television serial, Tum Dena Sath Mera has carved a name for herself in the industry with her flawless acting. The Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon?...Ek Baar Phir and Agent Raghav â€" Crime Branch fame is now all set to make her Bollywood debut with the movie, Vodka Diaries.

In a chat with Surupasree Sarmmah, Swati Rajput gets candid about her journey in the industry.

You started your career with television serials. How did the shift to the silver screen happen?

After a month, I got a call from my then manager, who told me about the auditions happening for the film. I went for it and they liked me. Thats how I got the film. It was much later that I saw Kushals message for me. That was the first step towards the silver screen.

Your characters in Amrita and Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon were highly appreciated. How does it feel to be able to churn out hit after hit?

I am really thankful that great work came my way and people have liked the different characters I have played. I feel that I have been working with the right kind of people who gave their best to the projects that I have been a part of.

Tell us about your upcoming movie, Vodka Diaries?

The movie is a thriller set in Manali. The story revolves around a club called Vodka Diaries, where few murders have happened. The movie takes a turn when the ACP, played by Kay Kay Menon, comes to investigate them. I am playing the role of Sarah in the movie, who is a happy-go-lucky girl. She loves going for long road trips. Sarah visits this club with her boyfriend and the events that follow is what the audience have to watch.

What according to you is the most challenging thing about acting?

Being patient. Our industry demands this trait from all actors. If you have to achieve something, you need to be determined and active. One cant afford to give up.

You have also acted in Konkani and Telugu films. Was language ever a problem for you?

No, language has never been a challenge for me. I like to learn the language in which the movie is. If not the entire language, at least the basics, so that when I perform, my emotions will go easy with my dialogues.

You are sharing screen space with some of the biggest names in the industry -- Kay Kay Menon, Raima Sen and Mandira Bedi. How was your experience?

I had an amazing time. I shot most of my scenes with Kay Kay Menon. He is a tremendous actor and is known for his raw intensity. His dialogue delivery is flawless. Raima too is such a versatile actor and very sweet as a person. Though I have not worked with Mandira in the movie, I have always been a huge fan of her work.

If not an actor, what would you have aspired to be?

I would have pursued my Bharatanatyam. I had learnt this dance form but after getting into acting and due to time constraints, I had to leave it half way.

How do you spend your time when you are not working?

Whenever I am free, I catch up on the movies I have missed, meet my friends, read and go for my Kalaripayattu classes.

Dear WB,

As you are well aware, at this time each year, I check out of my apartment in the city and check into a cottage on the secluded beach you live on. For the next few weeks, this remote stretch of coastline becomes my base and the languid days filled with swimming, reading and feasting on fresh seafood and wild rice revitalize and rejuvenate both my body and soul.

This year, however, I find myself uneasy, perplexed and, dare I say it, stressed out. And youre to blame.

Ive seen you off and on over the last few years and, although youve kept to yourself, Ive always acknowledged you with a polite smile or wave when our paths cross. This time its different.

For one, I notice you now have a young son but no mate in sight. So, I presume, theres a broken relationship there.

But, other than the apparent, I sense a new vibe between us. Every time I walk onto the beach, you sit up and take notice but you never come over to say hello. You timidly approach my towel while Im body-surfing in the ocean but you immediately scurry away when you see me emerging.

Hey, youre beautiful and Id like to get to know you better. And, although, calling you over with a loud whistle may not have been the best move, even gently motioning you over sends you skipping off in the opposite direction.

I would have left it at that but you are clearly vibing me. I see you shyly checking me out from your sand dune as I watch the dolphins frolic on the horizon every morning. And we both love watching the indigenous white-breasted Brahminy kites glide through the sky (although I see you glare disapprovingly at me when my eyes wander to the migratory pale-breasted Europeans sashaying down the beach.)

A couple of times, when Ive been out for my sunset run, you grabbed one of my flip-flops that Id left on the dune and ran off. Initially, I thought it was your playful way of breaking the ice so I cheerfully ran after you in the hope of finally making contact but, after an exhausting chase, you just dropped the slipper and ran away leaving me panting and bemused.

But now youve gone too far. When I woke up this morning, my swim shorts that were drying on the clothes rack outside my cottage were gone. Dont try and deny it, I know it was you. The prints on the sand are distinctly yours. I really dont know what to make of this. Im getting such mixed signals. On one hand youre constantly making eye contact and checking me out but you never want to meet. Then you run off with my slippers and now my shorts.

Are you into me and just really bad at expressing your feelings? Or are you peeved at all males because you were knocked up and abandoned and Im the most convenient one to take all your frustrations out on? Or, is it a racist thing considering youre so pure white and, after two weeks in the sun, Im the colour of coal.

Like all men, Ive never really been able to completely understand females; but you, in particular, have got me completely befuddled. Why are you playing these games?

We could be having such a good time together. Im a lot of fun. I love to play throw and fetch the stick, Im not afraid to get down and dirty -- I can roughhouse with the best of them and no one gives belly rubs like I do. Just ask your other friends on the beach who, no matter how late Im running for my morning yoga class, wont let me pass until I put in some quality throwing and rubbing.

Please stop messing with my head. We could really have something special.

Yours,

The bare-assed guy in the blue cottage

Its said that happiness is homemade and thats exactly how my love for food grew. I learnt everything I had to learn about cooking because of my mother. She has always been an amazing cook and made some of the best dishes Ive had. But my fascination towards food wasnt just for its flavour. It was about the science behind it, the wisdom our ancestors added to each dish and the story that followed its origin.

It was always a dream of mine to start a restaurant to restore these lost recipes that have been passed on through generations. I worked as a teacher for a long time before I made that dream come true with my new venture Maia. Even when I had a full-time job, I used to bake loaves of bread and cakes. This practice soon led me to take orders as well.

My motivation to create recipes is truly based on my love and passion for food. I also believe in empowering women and food is one of the powerful methods to do that.

So with Maia, we have invited mothers and grandmothers to share traditional recipes. Most of them are recipes that many of us have forgotten and have a great story to tell.

Farali pattie is one of the dishes that I am fond of as it brings back so many memories of my childhood. Its a traditional Gujarati dish that my grandmother made when we visited her during holidays.

My family, including aunts, uncles and cousins, would gather around in the community kitchen and make this dish together. As we are Jains, so the original recipe was made with raw bananas. That has eventually been modified over the years. However, the recipe was then passed on to my mother and now me.

Ingredients:

Method:

Boil the potatoes in salted water. Peel, cool and keep it aside.

Mash and combine with half the chopped chillies, half the ginger, boiled sago, bread crumbs and rice flour. Season with garam masala.

Chop the coriander and combine with pomegranate, grated coconut, chopped green chillies, chopped ginger, salt, lemon juice and chai masala.

Create roundels of the potato mash and stuff with coriander and pomegranate mixture.

Deep fry it till golden brown.

Combine the remaining potato with the tamarind chutney and thin down with a little water.

(As told to Anila Kurian)

The city has a growing biking community and group rides are becoming a weekend activity now. Safety of the riders and the people on the road continues to be a worry for many. In the background of the incident where a 11-year-old was knocked over and killed on the spot on the outskirts of Devanahalli recently, Bengalureans and members of the biking community raise their concerns over safety on the road.

Biking enthusiasts like Sreedhar SV from Kings Raid says that safety of the people on the road and the rider are always the focus on any ride. "We do trips to Ooty, Goa, Mangaluru, Gokarna, Sakleshpur and Agumbe quite often. However, short or long the trip is, we make sure that we never cross the speed limit. We always ask our members to stick within the 60 to 80 km speed, setting the maximum speed as 90 km. This is keeping in mind the safety of the rider and other people on the route," he says.

The group always travels two riders in a row and makes sure that they retain their speeding limit within the city between 30 to 40 km. "We are very particular about riding with quality helmets and proper riding gear. Whats the whole point of riding on a bike which costs lakhs and wearing a Rs 100-helmet?" he asks.

Vishal Agarwal from Bangalore RD350 Club asserts that every biking club insists that their riders travel well within the speed limit. The group does Sunday rides regularly to places like Avalabetta, Nandi Hills, Lepakshi and Krishnagiri. Before every ride, the group reminds each member that they cannot overtake their rider leading the ride or stay behind the rider whos at the last.

"We travel in a formation and maintain enough distance among ourselves. Requisites for a ride include wearing arm guard, knee guard, a jacket which protects the back, shoulders and the spinal cord," he adds.

When the group is about to set off to a new location, they always have a member check the route out two weeks in advance to avoid unforeseen incidents.

Being calm on the road and maintaining the decorum is an absolute requisite, points out Kaushik Vastare, an administrator with Highwaymen Moto-biking Club. "Each one of us has the riding gear on and we ride in a train formation. This would mean that each member would be only able to see the person in front of them and behind them. We make sure that traffic signals are observed, one doesnt ride on footpaths and road rage is completely avoided," he says.

Overspeeding when one feels the road is clear is a strict no at the club. "Each member is expected to do predictive riding, where the rider determines the amount of time needed to overtake and judges according to proper visibility," he says.

When hosting rides, the group makes sure that it does not have more than 30 people participating in a ride. "The more the merrier sounds good but it is difficult to keep track of a lot of people during a trip. Before every ride we do a briefing where I explain how the signals are done and do not encourage leg signals. Also signs for obvious obstacles need are not given," says Kaushik.

The group also does not believe in stopping other motorists on the road and makes sure that they pass by before continuing the ride. "A ride does not have space for any ego clashes," he says.

Bengaluru has given them everything they wished for. Work, friends and a small family of their own. Manjula Kumari, who hails from Nalanda and Chandramani Kumar from Hilsa shifted their base to the city three years back. The couple has created a world of their own and is today blessed with a boy Anay, who is five years old.

Be it adapting to the culture or the language, nothing seems to have been a challenge for the couple. Both Chandramani and his wife Manjula are now learning the language for smooth communication with the locals.

"Learning the local language is important and an advantage for an outsider. I can now understand Kannada," says Chandramani.

Being the foodie that she is, Manjula says that it was not difficult for her to adjust with to the food here. She loves the food and often heads to Adhyar Anand Bhavan to satiate her hunger for this cuisine.

"My husband is very helpful and most days when he is off from work, he takes over the kitchen. He makes good non-vegetarian dishes and we look forward to the weekends when he cooks for us," says Manjula.

Being in a profession where spending time with family happens only during the weekend, he makes sure to spend quality time with his family. Taking them to malls or a play arena where Anay can have a good time is Chandramanis routine during the weekend. The family likes to be indoors as much as they can and be comfortable in their own abode. However, if there is a long weekend ahead, they like travelling to a new place each time.

"We love to travel. So whenever there is a holiday, we take to the roads. Most of the time, we head to Goa, Chennai or Hyderabad. Mysuru and Chikkamagaluru are our favourite haunts closer home," adds Chandramani.

"The warm nature of people here makes us feel at home. Though we are from outside, we have never felt out of place. People are often helpful and supportive. It has been three years of peaceful stay for us."

A study of some of the worlds most obscure marine life suggests that the central nervous system evolved independently several times - not just once, as previously thought. The invertebrates in question belong to families scattered throughout the animal evolutionary tree, and they display a diversity of central-nerve-cord architectures.

The creatures also activate genes involved with nervous-system development in other, well-studied animals - but they often do it in non-neural ways, report the authors of the paper, published on December 13, 2017 in Nature. "This puts a stake in the heart of the idea of an ancestor with a central nerve cord," said Greg Wray, an evolutionary-developmental biologist at Duke University, USA. "That opens up a lot of questions we dont have answers to - like, if central nerve cords evolved independently in different lineages, why do they have so many similarities?"

In 1875, German zoologist Anton Dohrn noted anatomical similarities between the central nerve cord that runs length-wise through the bodies of annelids and the nerve cord in the spine of vertebrates. He proposed that the groups ancient common ancestor had a nerve cord that ran along its belly-side, as seen in annelids. He also suggested that this cord flipped to the back of the body in a more recent animal that gave rise to all vertebrates.

More than a century later, evolutionary-developmental biologists revisited Antons theory when they discovered that the same genes involved in the development of vertebrates central nerve cords are also activated in the nerve cord of the fly Drosophila melanogaster and of the marine annelid Platynereis dumerilii. Similar gene expression underscored the concept that the cords could be traced back to a common ancestor.

Developmental debate

But researchers questioned the theory in 2006, after looking at the expression of a suite of those genes - including the one named bmp - in acorn worms. They found that bmp is activated in these animals early in their development, well before they form two nerve cords that run along the sides of their bodies. The scientists suggested that bmp helps to provide coordinates for cells in the developing embryo. But rather than do away with the idea that bmp unites the nerve cords of disparate species, many biologists suggested that acorn worms might be an exception in using the gene in a different way. After all, they had unusual, dual nerve cords.

Andreas Hejnol, an evolutionary-developmental biologist at the Sars International Centre for Marine Molecular Biology in Bergen, Norway and senior author of the Nature paper, was fascinated. "I thought, you should not call an animal weird," he said. "Let the animals tell you who is weird." In search of creatures with diverse nervous systems, Andreas team explored fjords in Sweden and Norway by boat. They sifted through sludge dredged up from the sea floor, and probed the guts of sea cucumbers to find parasites buried within. The scientists also scoured the rocky shores of islands off Washington, USA.

Some of the tiniest worms the team collected belong to an ancient lineage in the animal evolutionary tree called Xenacoelomorpha, and they possess a plethora of nervous systems. For instance, Xenoturbella bocki has no central nerve cord, but rather a net of nerves similar to those in jellyfish, Isodiametra pulchra has eight nerve cords, and Meara stichopi has a nerve cord running along its back, as vertebrates do.

As in the acorn worms, these itty-bitty worms activated bmp before nerve cords formed, early in embryonic development. Moreover, Andreas blocked the protein pathway and found that the animals nerve cords still developed. The result suggests that they are constructing their nerve cords differently than mice, flies and other well-studied animals.

In lampshells, Andreas group found that other genes previously associated with the central nerve cord switched on as the lampshells developed, even though the creatures have no central nerve cord. The discordance continued in the wheel-bearers, the nemerteans and other odd animals. Andreas concluded that genes found to underlie the central nerve cord in vertebrates, flies and some annelids functioned differently in an early ancestor, and were instead integrated into the nervous system at different points in time as disparate animal lineages evolved central nerve cords of their own.

Decrease in Himalayan glaciers

Researchers from the Indian Institute of Technology and National Institute of Hydrology, Roorkee have found that the number of glaciers has decreased in a span of 35 years. The findings were published in 2017 in the journal Arctic, Antarctic, and Alpine Research. The study warns of a long-term decline of water resources and impending flash floods due to the glacial lake outburst as warming climate may accelerate the glacial recession in the area.

The researchers studied changes to glaciers in the Baspa basin in the western Himalayan region. Due to their massive size, remote and harsh locations, glaciers are not easy to monitor, the Baspa Basin being no exception. The researchers used a combination of satellite data to demarcate the changes in the glacier area, its length, and how much of it is covered with loose rock material, also called debris cover.

The researchers delineated 109 glaciers having a minimum size of 0.01 km2 in the glacier inventory for the year 2011. To assess glacier changes, they selected glaciers larger than 0.10 km2 in size to reduce inaccuracies in glacier mapping. They found that the number of glaciers had gone down from 103 to 97 and a total area of 41.2 ± 10.5 km2 was lost between 1976 and 2011. The study showed that factors like glacier size and topography influence glacier changes.

A feathered dinosaur

Perhaps it was soft, even fuzzy. But it was also very much a dinosaur. Anchiornis was a four-winged birdlike species that lived about 160 million years ago, and many fossil specimens have been found in China. A number of them were discovered with preserved feathers, but until recently the feathers had not been described in detail. Anchiornis (the name means near bird) was about 14 inches long from its beak to the end of its tail, barely larger than a pigeon but much more impressive. It had long feathers on its four wings, and appendages ending in claws. Anchiornis did not, however, have the reverse toe that lets modern birds perch. It climbed trees, clinging with all four feet.

A recent study in Palaeontology takes a close look at its feathers. Anchiornis had small bushy plumes covering its back and neck, unlike its straighter wing and tail feathers. These short feathers provided insulation and may have been water-repellent. But they were not as efficient at either task as the feathers of modern birds. Anchiornis probably glided down from trees, like a flying squirrel, but more likely was incapable of powered flight. The feathers on the wings and tail lacked the curved aerodynamic structure that allows for flight.

"Palaeontologists got excited when we learned that birds are dinosaurs," said the lead author, Evan T Saitta, a doctoral student at the University of Bristol in England. "But we have to remember that these things are much older and more primitive than birds. Feathers dont evolve overnight. These are steppingstones on the way to modern birds."

Ticks trapped in amber

Palaeontologists have found entombed in amber a 99-million-year-old tick grasping the feather of a dinosaur, providing the first direct evidence that the tiny pests drank dinosaur blood. Immortalised in the golden gemstone, its last supper is remarkable because it is rare to find parasites with their hosts in the fossil record. The finding, which was published in a paper that appeared the journal Nature Communications, gives researchers tantalising insight into the prehistoric diet of one of todays most prevalent pests.

David Grimaldi, an entomologist at the American Museum of Natural History and an author of the paper, was inspecting a private collection of amber from northern Myanmar when he and his colleagues spotted the eight-legged stowaway. Upon further inspection, he and his colleagues concluded that the tick was a nymph, similar in size to a deer tick nymph, and that its host was most likely some sort of fledgling dinosaur no bigger than a hummingbird, which David referred to as a nanoraptor.

Galapagos: Realm of Giant Sharks

Darwin Island, a remote oceanic region on the outskirts of the Galapagos Archipelago, is home to a growing population of great whale sharks. All of them are pregnant, about to give birth. What has drawn them here? Where are they going? The documentary, Galapagos: Realm of Giant Sharks (directed by Thomas Lucas), finds out what lures the sharks to the island by following a group of researchers, headed by world-renowned naturalist and photographer Jonathan Green, that has travelled out to Darwin Island to decode the mystery.

In an exciting blend of science and natural history filmmaking, Galapagos: Realm of Giant Sharks draws audiences into the world of one of the oceans largest and least understood creatures. It also provides illuminating insights on the growing dangers currently threatening the great whale shark population, and efforts underway to protect the species. To watch the documentary, visit www.bit.ly/2lgxqej.

In a first of its kind effort, researchers from all over the world have quantified soil erosion due to rainfall by collecting data from 63 countries to prepare a rainfall erosivity map of the world. The study, published in Scientific Reports, is a joint effort of 31 scientists from over 20 countries all over the world.

Erosivity is the tendency of rainfall to cause soil erosion. Displacement of soil from its original place is called erosion. Rainfall, rapidly flowing water like streams and rivers, wind, or even mass movement of land like landslides or avalanches can cause erosion. Rainfall alone causes more than 50% of soil erosion in the world. Erosion takes away the nutrient-rich topsoil from the erosion site, and in the long run, leads to desertification. The other side of erosion is eutrophication - excessive richness of nutrients - caused by the eroded soil being deposited as sediments in water bodies like lakes and rivers, choking them in the process. This excess of nutrition in the water causes the unabated growth of vegetation and algae, resulting in reduced dissolved oxygen in the waterbody.

The erosivity factor

Erosion causes a lot of ecological damage too and impacts economies dependent on local resources. "When the water of the flooded Brahmaputra flows downstream in Bengal, it disrupts the fishing reservoirs of the region. The local fishermen, thus, lose their means of livelihood," says Dr Nabansu Chattopadhyay of the Indian Meteorological Department, Pune, and a co-author of the study.

Erosivity of soil is the combined effect of the duration of rainfall, its magnitude and intensity. "For example, if a place gets 100 cm rainfall in 24 hours, but it is quite uniformly divided, such rain may not cause soil erosion. However, suppose there is 10 cm rainfall in a mere one hour, then soil may get washed away," points out Nabansu. To determine erosivity, it is also essential to take into account the previous erosivity events that have occurred over a long period of time. Erosion is more likely to happen when the soil is already saturated with water and a heavy downpour occurs. Water can no more be absorbed into the soil, and soil then flows downstream with water.

Erosivity factor, evaluated based on the duration of rainfall, its magnitude and its intensity, is essential for assessing the extent of soil erosion by water. This also helps in calculating the risk of floods and preventing natural disasters. Suitable mitigation measures can then be taken to prevent losses to lives and property. The researchers of this study collected data from 3,625 precipitation stations all over the world and created a Global Rainfall Erosivity Database (GloREDa). The data came from rain gauges spread over different continents, in different climatic conditions, during different time periods and of different accuracies. Rainfall measurements at short duration, once every 30 minutes, was taken for evaluation.

The number of years for which data was available also had a large variation; some gauges had only 10 years of data, a duration much shorter than the 22 years recommended for evaluation of erosivity. The researchers had to interpolate this data suitably in the framework used for this assessment. Uncertainty is also introduced in erosivity values due to the variability of rainfall, its duration, its magnitude and its intensity in areas lying between different climatic zones.

The final map that the researchers came up with indicates that the highest erosivity values are located in Southeast Asia, Central Africa, South America, Central America and the Caribbean islands. The lowest erosivity was found in Siberia, West Asia, Northern Africa, Canada and Northern Europe. The researchers observed that spatial pattern of erosivity values corresponds to the extreme rainfall events observed in those areas. An analysis by the climate zone indicated that the tropical climate group that included tropical rainforest and monsoon climatic types showed highest erosivity. The cold climate group, that includes the subarctic region had lowest erosivity values.

Mitigation measures

Another major achievement of this study is the setting up of a global erosivity dataset with a spatial resolution of about one km that is now available. The researchers credit this to the availability of rainfall measurement at short duration, the growing computing power and the development of sophisticated geostatic models. "We acknowledge that this achievement was only feasible through the scientific cooperation between scholars from all over the globe," say the authors. The global erosivity map is now publicly available, and researchers can use it to model soil erosion at a national, continental or global level. This can certainly help plan erosion mitigation measures.

One way to conserve what is left of the soil is to increase the time of concentration of the runoff or reduce the velocity of the runoff. This allows more water to sink into the soil, and prevents it from carrying the soil along. Building terraces and bunds are one way to prevent the runoff at a smaller scale. On a larger scale, dams and retention reservoirs could also be planned, opine the researchers. Biological measures include planting vegetative strips, protective bushlands and forests in regions prone to increased soil erosion. Certain agricultural practices like contour ploughing, where the land is ploughed across a slope following its elevation contour lines, and mixed cropping, where two or more of plants are grown simultaneously in the same field, could also help.

For a country like India that is largely dependent on agriculture, soil plays a very important role in driving the economy. So what are implications do the findings of this study have? The researchers believe that soil conservation efforts in India can hugely benefit from the erosivity map. "The Ministry of Agriculture in India undertakes multiple soil and water conservation projects. With a view to better monitor rainfall, installation of automatic rainfall measurement gauges is planned," shares Nabansu. With more such systematic measures, perhaps soil erosion could be a thing of past.

(The author is with Gubbi Labs, a
Bengaluru-based research collective)

A good pair of jeans

I probably wore jeans every day of my junior year. Youre going to want to bring at least 4 pairs of jeans, that fit you well, to keep in your college wardrobe. Any pair that you dont wear anymore should be left behind at home. My go-to are dark-washed skinnies, but I recommend that you bring whatever cut and colour that you feel most comfortable in.

Leggings

Leggings are extremely versatile and can be worn with almost anything to create an awesome outfit (as long as you wear something long enough over them and always check the "camel toe" situation). You can wear basic leggings but also prints and leather/denim ones!

Basic tops

With limited storage and closet space, youre going to want to make the most of your wardrobe. Basic tops in neutral colours like white, black, and gray give you so many options to work with. Bring different cuts - tank top, V-neck, long sleeved, and T-shirts in each of these colours to stretch your closet even further.

Professional outfit

This is totally more than one piece of clothing, but its a single outfit. I dont care what your major is - you need to be able to look like a professional at any time, especially when you are being interviewed for internships and jobs. Even as a junior, you may be required to dress up for presentations, and to attend a conference or networking event. Keep a crisp white button up or blouse and some nice pants at the back of your college wardrobe.

Sweatshirts

If you dont have a hoodie with your schools name and logo on it, then do you really go to that college? A sweatshirt and leggings is the easiest outfit to go to class in. Youre going to want something super comfortable to lounge in your room in or wear on late nights.

Day-to-night item

Your schedule can load up fast at college. One day, you may just have class from 12 to 1 and on another, your whole day will consist of classes, meetings, and homework. Then someone will invite you to come out right when youre done with your night class and you wont have time to change. Its a good idea to keep a day-to-night piece in your college wardrobe for these occasions â€" just switch from flats to heels and add a cute necklace and youre done! I like to have a simple, versatile dress or romper that I can dress up or down depending on how my day looks.

Scarves

Flannel chambray shirts

A worn flannel shirt is perfect for an extra layer when the weather isnt too hot or cold. Pair a flannel with a vest and denims for the quintessential fall outfit or wear it oversized to lounge around in the hostel with your friends. Chambray shirts are another college wardrobe essential because they look great with black leggings and tan sandals for another go-to outfit.

(Contributed by Pooja Gajraj)

Most people go to a noisy party on New Years eve, get drunk, post a few pictures on social media, get a couple of likes and congratulate themselves on a day well spent. Thalaivar Rajinikanth launches his own political party, gets half a country drunk on euphoria, gets thousands to sign up for his party within minutes of the announcement and makes even the international political pundits sit up and take notice. Need we say more -- kabali da!

While the general consensus seems to be that politics is joining Rajinikanth, there also some who say that elections will contest Rajinikanth. But on a serious note, the superstars announcement has caused quite a flutter in the corridors of power all over India. Social media is abuzz with posts, tweets and memes, hailing him as a messiah who will deliver them from the ills that plague Indian society.

Which makes one think - what could be the reasons that have caused politics to become a back up career option for actors and what makes people welcome them with open arms?

Maybe it is their larger-than-life personality and ability to solve even the biggest of problems within two and a half hours. Rajinikanth, Kamal Haasan, Amitabh Bachchan and Sunil Dutt used brain and brawn to tackle every issue close to our heart - on screen that is.

Then there is their squeaky clean image in movies, the potential to do no wrong. They are the good guys of cinema and we expect them to be the same in real life. Come to think of it, how many reel villains have made it to politics? Ever-cheerful Govinda, dream girl Hema Malini, friendly Dharmendra - the nice guys didnt finish last here.

No matter what the reason, every celebritys entry into the murky world of politics is followed by a mad scramble from political outfits to lay out the red carpet. The actors fan base translates into a number of supporters and votes. Their mass appeal draws different sections of the society and their glamour quotient ensures huge turnouts at rallies. What is there not to like?

Unfortunately, most of these stars fail to impress beyond the initial levels. There have been exceptions of course and glittering ones at that. For example, Tamil Nadu has produced a few stalwarts who have been archetypes of personality politics. Closer home, Upendra has announced his political debut as a means of giving back to the society.

But Bollywood has seen the same old stories unfold when it comes to the lofty ambitions of its heroes. This is primarily because of their tendency to stick on to their filmy habits and make only occasional guest appearances in the legislative assemblies or constituencies. And a perceived disconnect from reality, like thinking it is possible to limit the influx of people into metro cities. Most of them have gracefully bowed out of the field and gone back to the simpler world of cinema.

Indeed, the transition from abhineta to neta is not smooth. Lets see if the new entrant stars manage to shine light on a new path.

ICHR JRF 2018

Indian Council of Historical Research invites applications for the ICHR Junior Research Fellowships (JRF) 2018-2019 from the students enrolled in any recognised universities for the PhD programme in History and its allied subjects. The last date to apply is January 14. For more details, visit www.bit.ly/2lIV8Bb.

Business courses

IMS Noida invites applications for the following AICTE approved programmes: Postgraduate Diploma in Management and Postgraduate Diploma in Management - Entrepreneurship. The last date to apply is March 31. For more details, visit www.imsnoida.in.

Marketing internship

CADD Centre Training Services is hiring interns for Marketing profile in Bengaluru. Students can apply by January 20. The stipend is
Rs 15,000 per month. To apply, visit www.bit.ly/DH-202.

PGDM courses

International Management Institute (IMI), New Delhi, reopens the admissions to the Postgraduate Diploma in Management (PGDM), PGDM (HR) and PGDM (BFSI). The application form is available at www.admission.imi.edu and the institute only accepts online forms. The last date to submit is January 21. For more details, visit www.imi.edu.

Scholarship for Girls 2018

Internshala has announced its annual scholarship, Internshala Career Scholarship for Girls 2018. The scholarship is meant to help advance one girls career in her chosen field. The last date to apply is January 15. For more details, visit www.bit.ly/ICSG-2018.

Cosmology course

A course in Cosmology, Astrobiology and Astrochemistry will be conducted at M P Birla Institute of Fundamental Research, Bengaluru on Saturdays and Sundays between February 4 and March 4, 2018. The number of seats is limited to 30 and admissions will be done on first-come-first-served basis. For further details call on 080-2238 5956, 080- 6595 9780, or email info@mpbifr-blr.in.

Environment fellowship

The Harvard University Centre for the Environment has introduced The Environmental Fellows programme 2018 for postdoctorates and PhD students. The last date to apply is January 17. For more details, visit www.bit.ly/1Abga94.

Website design internship

VSARADA Solutions is hiring interns for Web Development profile in Bengaluru. Students with knowledge of SQL, MongoDB and AngularJScan apply by January 20. The stipend is Rs 10,000 per month. To apply, visit www.bit.ly/DH-201.

ICAI Commerce Wizard

The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) announces the ICAI Commerce Wizard - 2017, a talent search test in Commerce for the students studying in Class 10, 11, 12 and BCom, BMS, BBA or allied subjects. The last date to apply is January 14. For more details, visit www.bit.ly/2pe0vMO.

Science fellowship

International Centre for Theoretical Sciences (ICTS-TIFR), Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Bengaluru announces the ICTS - S N Bhatt Memorial Excellence Fellowship Programme 2018 for undergraduate or postgraduate students of Science and Engineering. The last date to apply is January 15. For more details, visit www.bit.ly/2AKKZbO.

With the academic year ending soon, some students are at the threshold of graduating from college. At this stage, they are busy with college placement, collecting No Due certificates and exam hall tickets, and trying hard to furnish some academic requirements of final semester. While many of them are filled with emotions about their time spent in the college, they are also excited about what the future will bring for them.

This phase is considered to be testing as the students are moving from a comfortable environment to a much more dynamic and challenging one. Not to forget, in spite of the challenges, graduating students have to wind-up their degree with a good bang.

Factors to consider

While there is plenty of advice on how students can choose the right degree programme, not much is given as to what they can do when it is ending. Here are a few tips that can help you out in this light:

Leave college with a job in hand: Placement is the most crucial activity for outgoing students. While most of you may participate in the placement drive, some of you may not take part due to many reasons such as the companys profile, its location and salary package. You should remember that the first job you get may not be your dream job. Hence, you need to understand your capabilities and current skill set and make an informed decision. This will make you feel secure in a world that is characterised by competition.

Co-curricular activities: Many students might have participated in various extracurricular and co-curricular activities. However, at times, you may not recollect all the activities that you have participated in. So, take some time out to make a list of all the events that you coordinated, participated and won. Ensure that you have certificates for all the events you have participated in. Once you have compiled the list, think of a way that you can showcase them in your profile.

Build a network of contacts: Another important aspect to be considered is to gather contacts. Having contacts in the industry you intend to work in may help build your career further or may help you generate business if you are looking to be an entrepreneur. These contacts, which are usually gathered inside the campus, are very vital, and these potential contacts can be gathered from the alumni cell, placement cell, faculty members, various forums of the college and classmates.

Get testimonials: There are many ways you can get testimonials. These can enrich your profile. LinkedIn, a professional networking site, is not only a good platform to create a professional profile but it also enables you to get some testimonials from your contacts. These testimonials are considered reliable and authentic. These will certainly help during your placement. Some of the best contacts to get testimonials are professionals with whom you have worked with during internships and faculty members. Make sure that you have at least four testimonials before you complete college.

Spick and span social media presence: Many recruiters have turned to social media to know more about their potential employees. The employers will be keen to know their views and interests. Usually, employers look out for any sort of discrepancies or warning signs that potential employees may show online. So, before stepping into the professional world, ensure that your online presence is harmonic and reflects a better taste.

Contribute content: One of my mentors once mentioned, "How much content that you upload is more important than how much you download from Internet." This is something that I firmly believe in. During the course of the degree programme, you may have made a lot of content for your assignments. The content that you have prepared for your assignments like the PowerPoint slides and documentaries can be uploaded online and be shared. Provided that the content is original, you can share them by uploading them on appropriate online portals like SlideShare and YouTube.

Show gratitude: Students should believe that the institute and faculty members always have good intentions for their students. You cant judge an institute or a faculty member by considering recent issues that may have cropped up. Its important to avoid getting into blame games, as one will not have any time to rectify his or her mistake. This will leave a bad impression about the batch.

Talent spotlight: Many colleges organise a variety of activities for final year students to showcase their talent one last time in college. The send-off party, cultural gatherings and high tea party with director are such occasions.

Make an action plan: Last but the most important, have your action plan ready. This is important to do while one is still in college as one can seek advice from a faculty member. The action plan includes taking-up your first job, gathering information about career advancement and how you can move ahead.

These are some tips that can help you successfully transition from college to career. So, plan accordingly as it doesnt matter how one has started but rather how one wants to end it.

(The author is assistant professor, Bapuji B-Schools, Davanagere)

In an interview with Nina C George, the actor talks about what keeps her on her toes.

What was the best part about working in Samhara?

The scenes that Chiranjeevi Sarja, Chikkanna and I had together were most interesting. The three of us work to crack a case and I like the way the scenes unfold. They were hilarious, to say the least.

What changes did you have to undergo to fit into your character?

I play a journalist and didnt have to make too many changes, except that I had to alter the way I talk and work on the voice modulation.

On working with Chikkanna...

This is my fourth film with him. He and I have a great rapport off screen which has, in fact, strengthened our performance together.

How was it to have Chiranjeevi Sarja as your co-star?

This is my first film with him and he works very hard. There were times during the making of Samahara where Chiranjeevi had to shoot continuously for 12 hours and he did so without complaining. Chiranjeevi is a bundle of energy.

What is your role in 3 Gante 30 Dina and 30 Second?

I play the daughter of a man who owns a channel. It is a love story and my character is pretty stylish throughout the film. I think I get glamorous roles because of the way I look.

Are you choosy when it comes to work?

I am not choosy but I dont want to work on projects that I am not convinced about.

You were a model before becoming an actor. Do you miss modelling?

I sometimes do but modelling becomes monotonous after a while. As an actor, I get to play a variety of characters and explore something new every day.

What keeps you going?

I take things as they come and dont rush into anything. This approach has helped me.

How is the year treating you so far?

I have two releases coming up. I will also be signing a new project in February. There is a lot to look forward to this year.